DeMarcus Ware explains why Cam Newton didn’t run more

By standards applicable to other quarterbacks, Panthers quarterback Cam Newton didn’t have a horrible night in Super Bowl 50. By Newton’s standards, he did.

The goal, as Broncos linebacker DeMarcus Ware explained on Monday’s PFT Live on NBC Sports Radio, was to make the Panthers one dimensional by taking away their ability to run the ball. But that doesn’t account for the lack of scrambles from Newton, who was sacked six times and repeatedly fought to throw the ball away.

“He had to get the ball down the field,” Ware said of Newton’s decision to take off sparingly, “he had to score points.”

Ware added the Broncos defense was able to get inside Newton’s head. Physically, they also were able to match him.

“It’s hard to beat us with his feet because we have a lot of fast guys like me and Von [Miller] and [Derek] Wolfe and Malik [Jackson],” Ware said. “And we made sure we kept the pocket tight so he couldn’t get out and run.”

Speaking of Jackson, Ware emphasized the importance of not letting him get away in free agency.

“The game is won in the trenches,” Ware said. “And just him, Derek Wolfe, . . . [those] two guys if you’re doing 3-4 or 4-3 they’re dominant and they make plays especially with [nose tackle] Sylvester [Williams] in the middle. I mean, all of those guys just giving them kudos. That’s the reason why we’ve been able to do so much.”

The salary cap will prevent the Broncos from doing as much as they’d like when it comes to keeping free agency, and Jackson could be one of the ones who gets away — especially as other teams become willing to pay a premium in order to both bring a Super Bowl champion to town and to partially dismantle the most recent champion.

To hear the full spot from Ware, check out the podcast from Monday’s edition of PFT Live, the first one that launched at 6:00 a.m. ET.

He didn’t have a horrible night? What game were you watching Florio. His QB rating was 54 and, as good as the Broncos defense is, he was missing wide open receivers all night. Yes both teams have great defenses but both team’s qb’s were so bad it made the game almost unwatchable.

His QB rating was 31.3% dansardo. What game were you watching? Cam was horrible, he missed receivers, and was obviously not very comfortable out there.
Maybe he should also be taught how to speak after the game. That was embarassing to say the least. He should apologize to his organization for that, it was dreadful. If you are suppose to be the MVP then behave like it. Brady and Manning would never have behaved like that.

40% completion rate, 55 passer rating, 0 TDs, 3 turnovers is just an average day for the rest of the schleps around the league, but for the mighty Cam Newton, (career completion rate under 60%, career passer rating under 90), that’s a terrible day.

Cam Newton a grown man, the face of a SB franchise and the winner of the regular season NFL MVP can’t speak to those he had no problem speaking to for the 2 weeks leading up to the SB? And people want to excuse it? Wow.

John Elway built his team to beat Tom Brady. It worked. He has three stud corners who can cover, and edge rushers who can pressure the QB. It turns out that this is how you beat Cam Newton too. How does Elway know what it takes to beat both Brady and Newton? It’s because he was Brady and Newton all combined into one QB, when he played.

What I think was even worse was Cam Newton’s childish behaviour throwing himself on the ground like a 2 year old whose parents refused to buy him something in a store. He needed a timeout like the teachers do in elementary school to unruly children.

These guys should start getting the credit they deserve! The media wants to pump up JJ Watt up like he invented sliced bread, while these guys are going out and winning Super Bowls. Bless Peyton Manning’s heart but he had nothing to do with the Broncos winning it at all! There defense is a monster, been a long time since the NFL had a team win a Super Bowl based on the defense dominating. Wolfe and Williams make it easy for Ware and Miller. If they keep their nucleus together they are going to be tough to beat.

Also quit riding Cam Newton, this guy can’t do anything right in some people’s mind. He played great this year, made sure a little kid got a football every time he scored a touchdown (which was a lot) has never had an off the field issue, and contributes to the community with not a lot of fanfare. The media beat him up all week with that black quarterback crap, maybe he was tired of the media after losing the biggest game of his career! Give the man a break, it’s not like he destroyed his phone.

I knew how this game was going to turn out from watching their preseason game against the Seahawks. They were able to contain a more elusive Russell Wilson so I knew Cam wouldn’t be able to get away from them.

I don’t watch ESPN or NFL Network, so I have to wonder if this is the popular thing to say, that Cam “had a good game by normal QB standards.”

Either way, it was a horrible effort from him in which the people who don’t even follow football could tell he played like garbage. Especially when 400 yard games and 5000 yard seasons are supposed to be normal (source: PFT).

Cam Newton lost most of the respect he gained over the season, and it only took a few hours. He is going to have to start all over this season. People’s comments about him were justified and have to do with him acting like a 12 year old kid. Cam didn’t change, he just acts different when he wins.

Cam had a horrible outing.
Frustrated, he finally couldn’t win the big game once he got there.
I think that’s what he needs to take away from this game:
How to win, and in this case lose, like an MVP or face of the league.

Im not a fanatical fan, but I like his energy, his ability and his showmanship. But he needs to be able to lose like a champ just as easily as it is to Dabb in an opponents face.

They forced him to throw cause he can’t and they knew it. I know they have a pass rush, but if your in this league and can’t throw under pressure, you shouldn’t be a league mvp, but that just supports the weak schedule argument. They won’t be back next year.

I really just think that Cam Newton hadn’t played a very dominate “D” before SB50! From the first snap of the ball by the Panthers, they didn’t know how to handle a real defense that came to play “Hit them in the Mouth” football! That is smashmouth football that the Denver Broncos came to play in Santa Clara! Denver’s “D” took over the reins of the game and never looked back! They knew from the moment that Von strip-sacked Cam that they (Broncos) were large and in charge of this game! And the offense didn’t do nearly as much as PM has done in the past to win. But, when you take the “D”s touchdown off the board, the Broncos still scored more points than the Panthers! Granted, the “D” put them in position to score that touchdown but, they had the heart to get it done! Even with an over the hill QB. who can still hit some throws! It pains me to say that about PM! But, this time. the “D” said, “Peyton, jump up on our shoulders and we will take you across the finish line!” And, they did!!! Good for them! He took them on his shoulders before! The season that he set all the records, he carried them for most of the season! But, in the end, a great “D” wins championships! They found that out at the end of the 2013 SB48!

Some of the childish insults at Newton are based on racism, but mostly it’s the usual short memory and envious sniping at NFL QBs. I’ve been in the Bay area a long time and remember the vitriol directed at Joe Montana, including drug-use allegations, every time the 49ers failed to win the Super Bowl.

For the first half of the season, Newton’s statistics were below average. Then he had a few great games, he was the best QB in the league, headed for the Hall of Fame, and the Panthers were a dynasty. Then he had one lousy game and he’s a lucky bum. Hey, it gives us something less depressing than politics and world news to rant about.

Of course they were in his head. Did you NOT see that Defense? We all knew they were good however they came to play that game. He didn’t run not because they dared him to throw but because HE COULDN’T! He tried a few times and Wolfe, Ware, Or Miller would break through and as soon as he broke the pocket whichever one that was playing outside would be right on him.

Cam dodge the sack on one and almost had a clear running lane then Miller just run him down. The fans that never played the game don’t understand it but those guys are FAST!